Ethereum Localism Goes Cosmo-Local

Join Us February 21–23, 2025, in Boulder, Colorado

Dec 20, 2024

Featured Gathering

A pattern, a paradox, a protocol, a provocation, Ethereum Localism is going cosmo-local. Born in the misty urban landscape of the city of Roses and Bridges, the General Forum on Ethereum Localism (GFEL) was never a single event but rather an ongoing decentralized inquiry into the application of web3 tech in right relationship with local networks of mutual aid, solidarity, and communal autonomy.

Now, the living inquiry of Ethereum Localism is spreading, finding a home in the sweeping mountain vistas and protopian communities of Boulder, CO. While disputes over who has the better coffee, beer, and cannabis may never be resolved, the Ethereum Localists of Boulder and Portland are united in their devotion to open collaborative spaces in which the visions of open mutualism might be actualized.

As the crypto world assembles for ETH Denver, we gather a much smaller and more humble assembly at the foot of the mighty flat irons in Boulder to provide a counter narrative to those of mainstream crypto. We deserve a world based on consent, solidarity, and mutuality, and we believe web3 technology can serve those ends, if we choose to organize ourselves cosmo-locally and make it so.

This GFEL explores the theme “Local Flows : Global Currents”, navigating the interplay between local resilience and global interdependence. As the world faces escalating uncertainty and chaos, from climate crises and extreme weather to economic instability and political polarization, our ability to build resilient systems at the local level has never been more critical. At the heart of this GFEL’s discussions will be local currencies, regenerative economies, bioregional governance and financing, community public goods funding, local data ownership, coordination platforms, water and land stewardship, and disaster preparedness—the tools and capacities that empower communities to thrive amidst global instability. This is an invitation to examine how the technologies of web3 can support local flows of trust, value, culture and resources while fostering global solidarity and shared responsibility.

This event is open to local activists and organizers as well as web3 builders and leaders who share a passion for civic technology, public goods, community organizing, and all other forms of mutual aid and localism.

Apply To Attend

Who Should Attend?

GFEL is for those who have wandered through the world of crypto, longing for conversations that prioritize systems change and community organizing over “pump and dump” schemes. It’s for local organizers who crave discussions about technology that are free from techno-utopian posturing and packed with grounded, practical solutions.

This is a gathering for those who believe in the potential of web3 technologies to serve ideals of consent, solidarity, and mutuality—tools for building thriving local ecosystems, not just extracting value from them.

What to Expect

GFEL spans Friday, February 21, through Sunday, February 23, with optional post-conference field trips and co-working opportunities through February 26. This gathering will feature:

Opening Ceremony and Keynote Speakers who will inspire us to think beyond the hype of crypto toward its potential for systemic change.
Unconference Open Spaces, where attendees set the agenda, creating room for organic conversations and collaborations.
Cosmo Local — A Local Art & Action Showcase: a lively celebration of local artists, organizers, and innovators, featuring lightning talks, live participatory budgeting grants, DJs, and performances from Boulder’s vibrant creative community.

But GFEL isn’t just about what happens inside the conference space. On Sunday, February 23, we’ll take our ideas into the field with Mycelial Field Trips to local initiatives like the Niwot Homestead, Yellow Barn Farm, and Boulder Food Rescue. These explorations will connect the values of cosmo-localism with the tangible work of regenerative localism.

For those who want to linger, the week following the forum will include opportunities to co-work at Boulder’s RegenHub ahead of ETH Denver, share meals at community potlucks, and dive deeper into the ideas and connections sparked during the forum.

The Flow of Events

Friday, February 21:

Opening Ceremony: Vision-setting with dynamic speakers
Unconference Open Space: Set the agenda for collaborative sessions
Kick-Off Party: Celebrate the start of the forum with an evening of creativity and community action, live participatory budgeting, lightning talks, and performances

Saturday, February 22:

Keynote Talks: Final speaker sessions to provoke thought and inspire action
Unconference Sessions: Dive deep into participant-led topics

Sunday, February 23:

Integration Sessions: Tie it all together in final discussions
Mycelial Field Trips: Explore Boulder’s regenerative initiatives

February 24–26 (Optional):

Field Trips: Visit innovative local projects like Yellow Barn Farm and Elk Run
Co-Working: Connect with others at Boulder’s RegenHub
Community Potlucks: Share meals, ideas, and dreams

Why GFEL?

GFEL is about more than web3—it’s about weaving together the values of Ethereum Localism with the deep wisdom of grassroots organizing and the power of local communities. This forum is for anyone who believes in the potential of cosmo-local collaboration, where ideas and resources flow freely across global networks but are grounded in local action.

We come together not just to talk but to imagine and build. GFEL is an invitation to join a community that cares about crafting open protocols that support thriving ecosystems of care and creativity.

Practical Details

Cost: $100 USD / 100 DAI (scholarships available)
Chain: Optimism
Tickets: Complete this info form to receive a ticket purchase code. Once you’ve been approved and purchased your ticket, you’ll receive a follow-up email with further event details.

We aim to make GFEL accessible to all. If you or your organization are interested in providing sponsorships for participants who aren’t able to cover their own core expenses, please reach out to benjamin@opencivics.co. Various sponsorship tiers are available for aligned brands and organizations. We aim to make this event free for all local community organizers.

GFEL isn’t just a forum—it’s a movement.

Join us in Boulder, February 21–23, to co-create the next chapter in the story of Ethereum Localism.

👉 Apply for your tickets today

Scholarships are available—reach out to us if you need support.

GFEL Boulder is being organized as an Initiative within the OpenCivics Consortium, in partnership with the RegenHub.

Together, let’s imagine, create, and act toward a more beautiful, just, and thriving world.

Key Inquiries for GFEL Boulder 2025: Local Flows and Global Currents

As GFEL 2025 unfolds under the theme “Local Flows and Global Currents,” we aim to catalyze new explorations and deepen ongoing conversations at the intersection of Ethereum Localism, regenerative systems, and web3 technologies. Here are some of the open questions and provocative inquiries we’ll tackle together:

1. Mapping and Enabling Local Resource Flows

What do local resource flows look like in practice within resilient and thriving communities?
How can we study and map local flows of value, trust, and resources in a way that supports actionable insights?
What are the onchain mechanisms that local currencies can use to model successful resource flows found in grassroots organizations, cooperatives, and mutual aid networks?
What mechanisms are missing or underdeveloped in current web3 tooling to support local economies effectively?
How can we integrate diverse forms of capital (social, ecological, cultural, and financial) into the design of local currencies and regenerative economies?
What incentives could drive communities to actively map and share their resource flows while respecting privacy and autonomy?

2. Governance: DAO-to-DAO Coordination and Ecosystem Development

What does DAO-to-DAO coordination look like when applied to local and global coalitions?
What mechanisms currently exist for DAO collaboration, and where are the gaps?
How might a DAO of DAOs—a networked ecosystem of autonomous but aligned organizations—function in practice?
What tools and frameworks are needed to support decentralized coordination at scale, and how can we collectively develop them?
How do we experiment with and test these new organizational models while ensuring they remain accessible to grassroots movements?

3. The Interplay of Local and Global

How can local currencies and web3 tools integrate into global cosmo-local networks without compromising local autonomy?
What are the trade-offs between local sovereignty and global scalability in cosmo-local systems?
How can resource flows between local communities be designed to support mutual resilience rather than extractive competition?
How do we measure and account for the impact of cosmo-local collaborations on ecological and social systems?

4. Regeneration and Water as a Core Resource

What lessons can be learned from traditional and modern water stewardship practices to inform the design of local resource flows?
How can web3 technologies contribute to regenerative water and land management, ensuring equitable and sustainable access to this vital resource?
What role could community currencies play in incentivizing regenerative practices related to water and other commons?

5. Experimentation and Scaling Impact

How do we incentivize experimentation within local communities while minimizing risk?
What metrics should we use to evaluate success in experiments that integrate web3 tools into local systems?
How can open-source learnings from these experiments be shared across communities to accelerate global adoption?

6. Diverse Stakeholder Involvement

How can we bridge the gap between local organizers and web3 technologists to co-create meaningful tools?
What frameworks ensure participatory governance that includes historically excluded voices in both local and global decision-making?
How can we ensure knowledge and technology sharing remains reciprocal and non-extractive in cosmo-local collaborations?

These questions reflect the high potential value of converging localism and web3 innovation. By shining a light on these challenges and collaborating to address them, GFEL Boulder 2025 can catalyze solutions that resonate far beyond our gathering. Let’s dive into these inquiries together, and co-create a world where local flows thrive amidst global currents.